1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to automatic cash transaction apparatus. In particular, the invention relates to an automatic cash depositing/dispensing apparatus which dispenses a requested amount of cash by carrying out successive dispensing operations whenever a requested amount of cash exceeds the amount of cash that ca be dispensed in a single dispensing operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, banking practice has changed considerably. There has been proliferation of automatic depositing/dispensing apparatus known as automatic teller machines (ATM) and automatic dispensing apparatus known as cash dispensers (CD). ATMs and CDs may dispense cash upon verification of a user's memorized code (also known as a "password" or "personal identification number (PIN).
In particular types of ATMs or CDs, an amount of cash which can be dispensed during a single dispensing operation is limited at least in part by the capacity of a cash receiving/dispensing port of the apparatus. If a customer wants to dispense excess cash (more cash than can be dispensed during a single dispensing operation) he must cause the ATM or CD to carry out more than one dispensing operation. Oftentimes this requires going back to the very beginning of a cycle of machine operation (for example, re-inputting password etc.). This is particularly troublesome with regard to the use of cash receiving/dispensing apparatus used for cash management in a bank, wherein it is frequently requested to dispense an excess amount of cash at one time.
To overcome this problem, it has been proposed to a plurality of cash dispensing operations can be automatically carried out by an ATM or CD to dispense excess cash by causing more than one dispensing operation to occur in response to one manual operation by the customer when an excess amount of cash is requested. However, there is a danger in operating an ATM or CD in this manner. It may occur that the user misconceives the completion of dispensing operation. After a first dispensing operation, the customer may think that the ATM or CD has completely finished its cycle of operation. Yet, it may be performing one or more additional dispensing operations, i.e. the ATM or CD is continuing to function. A customer may actually walk away from a machine that is still dispensing money.